


Phoenix Feathers

by Pokeluv101



Category: Servamp (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, M/M, Phoenix!Mahiru, man I suck at adding tags
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-15
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-10-29 02:56:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17799824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pokeluv101/pseuds/Pokeluv101
Summary: Mahiru, a phoenix, hides in Kuro’s forest. (KuroMahi, Fantasy AU)





	Phoenix Feathers

The grass was burnt beneath Mahiru who was making a nest for himself. He flapped his wings and loosened the leaves from the branches above him. Mahiru collected them the best he could and sat down. He had made the forest his new home but he wasn’t certain how long he could stay. Since he was a phoenix, many people hunted him. His fiery feathers were essential to create powerful potions.

He placed his hand on a tree trunk and burned a small mirror into the wood with a spell. He used its reflection to brush his wings and straighten his feathers. His sharp senses told him of a presence behind him before he saw the bushes shake in the mirror. Mahiru summoned a ball of fire in his hand and he turned to face the person approaching him.

He let out a breath of relief when he saw that it was only a black cat. He didn’t sense anyone else so he let his flame dwindled in his hand. Mahiru approached the small animal and reached out his hand to it. “I’m sorry for almost attacking you. I’m a little jumpy. How about I treat you to dinner as an apology? I should have dried fish in my bag.”

Mahiru took out a fish to feed the cat but he noticed how hesitant it was to approach him. He understood why it was cautious all too well so he placed the fish on the ground. He sat against the tree and gave the creature some space. The cat picked up the fish in its mouth and climbed on his lap. When he patted the cat, he noticed that it had a small scar over its right eye.

“Did someone hurt you? I’m sorry you had to go through that. I can understand why you’re so cautious because we are similar.” Mahiru spoke softly to the cat so he wouldn’t scare it away. He couldn’t remember the last time he had someone to talk to. “Maybe we can be friends. My name is Mahiru. What is your name?”

Predictably, the cat only purred in response. He smiled but his expression was rather solemn and lonely. Mahiru tilted his head back to look up at the night sky. The cat yawned on his lap. “I should give you name. How about Sleepy Ash? There is a full moon out tonight. Isn’t it beautiful?”

“I guess the moon is pretty but it’s nothing special since I see it every night.” Mahiru stiffened when he realized that it wasn’t the cat who replied. He stood sharply and he scanned the trees for the voice. He heard the voice behind the tree so he burned it to ashes. A tall mirror stood where the tree once did but Mahiru had to be cautious of it.

He circled the mirror and saw that there was no one. He couldn’t sense a presence either. Yet, Mahiru couldn’t deny that he heard someone speak. He noticed Ash scratching on the glass and he walked around the mirror. Mahiru gasped when he found a man in the mirror. The man wasn’t a reflection though. Cautiously, Mahiru touched the mirror but he could only feel the glass beneath his fingers. It didn’t seem like the mirror was a portal.

“Who are you?” Mahiru had to ask.

“I’m Kuro, the guardian of this forest. I don’t mind if you’re making a home here but please don’t burn down any more trees.” Guilt passed Mahiru’s face and he apologized. Kuro shrugged and said, “It’s partly my fault for surprising you. You’re a phoenix but you act more like a stray cat with how skittish you are.”

Mahiru folded his wing around himself and brushed his hands over the feather. It was impossible to deny that he was a phoenix with his wings. He looked back to Kuro but he couldn’t see any judgement in his red eyes. He was surprised he didn’t immediately force him to leave considering how dangerous phoenixes were. As a forest guardian, he had the power to do so. “You’re not going to tell me to leave?”

“You already made a nest here and it’ll be troublesome to regrow all that grass.” Kuro said. Mahiru still appeared wary and he wondered what he had been through. He explained, “It doesn’t seem like you’re dangerous. My brother says everyone deserves a home and I agree with him. This forest is large enough for a phoenix. As long as you promise to not burn any more of my trees, you can stay.”

“Thank you.” Mahiru smiled for the first time since they met. It was as brilliant as the sun. Kuro’s hospitality and kindness touched Mahiru. He reassured Kuro, “I will be careful with my fire. Honestly, I don’t like fighting and I tend to fly away whenever I can. But, if a hunter comes, I’ll help defend your forest so no damage will ever come to it. This is my home now, after all.”

Mahiru held out his hand to shake Kuro’s but then he realized that there was a mirror between them. He chuckled and placed his hand on the glass. “Let’s be friends, Kuro.”

* * *

“Kuro, look at these flowers I picked. Aren’t these daisies beautiful? Daisies don’t usually bloom at this time of year but I found a cluster of them on the edge of the forest.” Mahiru stopped in front of Kuro’s mirror and held out the flowers to him. “You’re the forest’s guardian so you probably knew about these flowers already. It’s a shame we can’t see them together though.”

Most forest guardians were spirits who don’t have a physical body. Spirits could only communicate through enchanted objects like the mirror. Despite that, they became friends over time. Mahiru had lived in the forest for a week now and his days were peaceful. He had to admit that it was easier to trust Kuro than others. As a forest guardian, he didn’t have a reason to betray him to hunters.

The forest was dense and not many people venture inside. Mahiru felt like he found a safe haven. He sat down and made a small fire so he could cook dinner. Ash pawed at the fish he recently caught and Mahiru had to lightly nudge it aside. “Be patient, Ash. I need to season and cook this properly. Thinking simply, it’ll taste better if I take my time. But you can have a taste test.”

Mahiru ripped off a piece of fish and fed it to the cat. It nestled against his side and Mahiru petted it fondly before he returned to cooking. He told Kuro about his day and their pleasant conversation filled the night. He enjoyed talking with someone over dinner after spending years running. The only thing he wished he could do was let Kuro taste his food but he was a forest spirit.

Once the fish was cooked, he slipped it onto a large leaf. He placed it in front of Ash before he made a plate for himself. He bit into the fish and hummed happily. “I found some spices near the daisies and used them for the first time. I like it. It’s less spicy than the seasoning in the region I’m from. I used to live in the mountains to the east.”

“I heard the air in the mountain is very fresh.” Kuro sat against the mirror and he leaned his head against the wooden frame. Mahiru nodded and nostalgia softened his smile.

“It was a great place to fly too. There’s a lot of open air and I could stretch my wings for miles.” Mahiru spread his wings and laid down on his back. He stared up at the starry sky and stretched his hands towards them. They seemed so far away. He had to admit that he missed flying but it was too risky to be seen.

He curled into a ball and used his wing as a warm blanket. Ash made its way under his wing and went to sleep. He felt his eyes become heavy due to the late hours. He felt safe in the forest. Mahiru turned onto his side and smiled at Kuro, “Thank you for letting me stay in your forest. Sleep tight, Kuro.”

“Goodnight.” He whispered back to him. He could hear Mahiru’s breathing slow as he drift to sleep. Kuro waited until he was certain that Mahiru was asleep before he stepped out of the mirror. He rubbed his stiff neck and groaned. Guilt stabbed his heart when he saw Mahiru sleeping on the ground. He never told him that he wasn’t a mere spirit but a guardian dragon.

Mahiru was the one who assumed he was a spirit but Kuro didn’t correct him. It still felt like he was lying to him. When Mahiru first entered his forest, Kuro could see that he was scared and he didn’t want to frighten him further. Now he didn’t know how he would tell Mahiru the truth after listening to his story. He decided to think it over as he took a walk. Every night, he would walk through the forest and see if anyone needed his help. It was his duty to help maintain the forest and protect its residents.

He found that he had a lot less work lately. Mahiru would stop conflicts within the forest and tended to injured animals during the day. For someone who controlled fire, he was very gentle. Kuro looked up at the sky and his thoughts returned to Mahiru. He wondered if he missed the sky. While he said he was happy to have a safe home, he was a phoenix.

Kuro sighed and walked back to the mirror. When he walked past the nest Mahiru made, he took off his jacket. He folded it and then slipped it beneath his head so he would have a pillow. Kuro understood and sympathized with Mahiru’s loneliness so he wanted to help him. He was careful not to wake him up as he returned to his home in the trees.

* * *

“You seem tired, Kuro. Did you get enough sleep last night?” Mahiru asked when he saw him yawn for the second time that morning. He was tending to an injured bird he found and talking with Kuro.

“I’m always tired.” His response made Mahiru laugh softly. In the mirror’s reflection, it appeared like they were sitting next to each other. He wished that was true and they could spend time together like normal friends.

Mahiru held a split against the bird’s broken wing while Kuro helped bind it. He used his powers to wrap its wing with a leaf. The bird chirped happily as Mahiru gently rubbed its heard with his finger. On the other hand, Ash was purring for attention. It forced its head into his hand and snuggled against his palm. Kuro chuckled and thought of how much the animals liked Mahiru.

“Ash, let me take care of this bird. I will play with you afterwards.” He gave the cat a friendly pat on its head. Mahiru lifted the bird slightly and placed it on a branch. “You need to rest while your wing heals. I know it will be difficult but this is for the best. It’ll only be temporary until you’re better.”

“Do you miss flying?” The expression Mahiru made answered his question. Kuro stepped to the edge of the mirror and placed his hand on the glass. “I think I know a way you can fly without people finding that you’re a phoenix. But there’s something else I need to tell you first. I don’t know how you will feel about it though. Mahiru, I…”

“You can tell me, Kuro. We’re friends.” Mahiru placed his hand over Kuro’s on the mirror. He smiled reassuringly at him and it made his heart flutter. At the same time, Kuro still felt hesitant because he didn’t want Mahiru to feel betrayed. He thought he deserved the truth though. He started to tell him but he was interrupted by an arrow striking the ground near his foot.

Mahiru’s instincts began to scream and he jumped to his feet. He turned around and saw hunters surround him. He was so distracted with Kuro that he hadn’t noticed them sooner. Usually, he would fly away but he didn’t want to abandon Kuro. He couldn’t fight them with his fire though. His mind started to race for a solution as he slowly backed away from them.

“My feathers!” Mahiru exclaimed to stop the hunters. After facing so many, he knew it would be difficult to negotiate with them. “I know my feathers are valuable. If you want them, you can take the ones that have already fallen out. There’s more than enough in my nest over there. You must leave this forest peacefully though. No one needs to be hurt. Please.”

The man leading the hunters didn’t lower his weapon. Even if he did agree to his peaceful terms, it would only be a temporary solution. More hunters would come now that they knew he made a nest in the forest. He didn’t want to fly away but leaving seemed to be the best way to keep the forest safe. He bit his lip and resigned himself to leaving.

Low hissing caught his attention and he looked down at his feet. Ash was growling at the hunters and trying defend him. The cat couldn’t do much when a hunter kicked it away and grabbed Mahiru’s wing. His anger flared to life when he saw Ash hurt and the hunter holding him was burned. Mahiru raised his hand and melted the sword the hunter was holding.

“I don’t want to fight but I will defend my home and my friends. Leave and never return to this forest!” While some of them ran, a few remained behind to fight. Mahiru stepped in front of the mirror to protect Kuro. His back was pressed against the cold glass but he knew that he couldn’t do much without his fire. A hunter aimed an arrow at him and Mahiru gathered flames in his palm.

The glass suddenly became warm behind him and Mahiru was pushed aside. He was too surprised to react or process what happened. Kuro jumped out of the mirror and controlled the trees to block the arrows. He also restrained the hunters with thick roots. Shadows circled Kuro as he spoke in a firm voice. “This forest is under my protection. Trespass again and you will face my wrath.”

The hunters ran away when they felt Kuro’s power. He was glad that the fight ended quickly and they didn’t need to fight. Kuro turned around and held out his hand to help Mahiru. The shock and confusion in his brown eyes stopped him. He lowered his hand and said: “I’m sorry, Mahiru. This wasn’t how I wanted to tell you.”

“You’re not a guardian spirit?” Mahiru’s voice shook. His wings unfolded slightly, as if he was about to fly away. Kuro couldn’t blame him if he did since he broke his trust.

“I’m a guardian dragon.” He explained. “I thought you would freak out if you knew the truth right away. Dragons are seen as dangerous creatures. But I was going to tell you eventually, I swear.”

Mahiru remembered the memories they made together. If Kuro truly intended to betray him and take his feathers, he would’ve done so sooner. He stepped closer and hesitantly placed his hand on Kuro’s cheek. His fingers stopped shaking when he felt how warm his skin was. Neither of them moved or spoke for a moment.

Finally, Mahiru spoke: “You said you knew a way I could fly without people discovering I’m a phoenix. Were you going to tell me that you are a dragon?”

Kuro slowly nodded and gathered shadows around him. The dark mist kept Mahiru from seeing his transformation but he could feel scales appear beneath his hand. After the shadows dispersed, he found a majestic dragon before him. His scales were as dark as the night sky. Mahiru looked into his crimson eyes and any fears he had disappeared.

“If you sit on my back, people won’t see you flying.” Then, Kuro asked. “Do you want to fly with me?”

“I would love to.”


End file.
